Hey come on Tuck they are headed in the right direction at least. McCutchen and Alvarez are potential superstars. When was the last time Pittsburgh had two potential superstars under the age of 25 on their team at the same time?

@Don: I can answer that…their names were “Bonds” and “Bonilla,” and the unfortunate truth for Bucs fans in the Steel City is that if either one of them have a big season, they’ll probably get traded to a big market team. I like the Steelers and the Pens, and Pittsburgh is a great sports city that deserves better than this triple-A franchise.

I am excited for McCutchen, Alvarez, and others like any other Bucs fan, but potential competency at the top level is probably the biggest reason for optimism in my opinion. Management isn’t making a half-assed attempt to compete. You’re not going to win a championship picking up a few high priced veterans a la the Royals, so why not just throw some cheap players out there until we have a nucleus to build around. In the meantime, spend money on the draft and in player development, stock the minor leagues and hope that a bunch of good players come up at the same time.

@Sandman (Actually, this is for everyone else): Check the Sandbox at http://sandmansports.blogspot.com/ When he, you know, “updates it,” it’s a fun read (Hint, hint Sandman).

@Pirates’n2011: Mondesi’s a bud (and at one time Mondesi’s House sported a TUCK! toon as its logo), so I’m biased, but that’s (still) funny stuff. And I appreciate the ‘die-hard fan’ response, but, come now, hasn’t that been the plan for years and years and years? Wasn’t the new posh stadium supposed to cure all? Gotta hold those guys accountable (at least til they get back to the playoffs). Otherwise, yeah, they’re still the Royals East (as you say).

All the guys who we’ve traded away recently (Bay, McLouth, Nady, Marte, Sanchez, etc)… how were the Pirates doing with them? Did anyone think they were going to win a championship? Certainly not. The ownership group stinks, but Coonelly should be given a chance I think. Of course this is what keeps people like me following the Pirates, we’re always 2-3 years away…

I think the Pirates are too easy a target, much as the Rays were in 2006-07. I don’t know that Huntington is acquiring adequate talent in his trades, but his approach is miles apart from previous administrations, and in my view a correct approach. He is dealing away players who have no role in the Pirate’s future to deepen the talent of the system, and is drafting to find impact talents.

I don’t know whether it will work, but I don’t think it deserves mockery. I am sure it is frustrating to Pirate fans to endure more years of non-contention, but I think the team is on the right track.

As for the certainty that future stars may be dealt away, I suppose that is possible, just as most assume that the Rays will let Crawford go. But if the Pirates build sufficient depth and make some shrewd (or lucky) deals, they should be able to contend for a few years and keep that status as the Rays seem to be doing now.

I’m a Pirates fan going back to the 1979 We R Fam-A-Lee team, with Willie Stargell, Dave Parker, and Bill Madlock, and was a huge fan of the 1990-1992 team, with Bonds, Bonilla, and Van Slyke, and I love seeing the backlash against this Tuck Toon.

Nothing against Tuck at all, I’m just glad there are other passionate Pirates fans. I thought I was the last fan left.

1) You call this a backlash?? You should see when I rattle the Yankees fans’ cage! (badumbum)

2) And here I thought we were all just having a friendly little chat, debating the “merits” of the Marte trade. Instead we’ve been having a “We Are the World” moment, bringing together Bucs fans from near and far. Imagine my surprise. Well, we do what we can.

3) While I appreciate the “nothing against TUCK!…” add, I hope it’s not ungracious of me to point out your list of Pirates greatest hits ends at the wrong end of “10+ years ago,” which is more-or-less where this whole thread’s been pointing to all day.

4) You’re definitely not the last fan left. I know I count at least 12, 13 more in the stands during home games. (Many of them are even friends of mine.) Keep the faith, bud.